


After All

by dapper_robot



Category: SteamWorld Dig (Video Games)
Genre: Short, Spoilers for dig 1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-14 04:30:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20594741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapper_robot/pseuds/dapper_robot
Summary: A new miner means a new person to get along with.





	After All

**Author's Note:**

> While writing this I was reminded that instead of father Dorothy says daddy and I think that's so valid I can feel the cowbot energies in that

Seeing Rusty come out of the mining entrance was relieving. Did she know him? No. But she didn't want to see another corpse in one day. Of course, it had only been five minutes, but still. Not much was looking up right now, so some hope was appreciated.

What surprised her is Rusty started directly to her immediately. Then just... Stood there. In front of her. He had talked before... Why not now? Well, talking herself would be a good thing to do before it got awkward.

"You handled that mine like a real pro." Dorothy had a smile on her face, "See as you're the new owner and all, maybe you should keep it open. Bring any ore you find back up to me, and I'll give you a fair rate for it." She paused between sentences, hoping he'd respond in some way shape or form, "This town can sure use it. I'm Dorothy by the way. Now, why don't you try mining some precious stones." To her surprise, he gave a thumbs up, then walked away. So he was a quiet one? Joe was also pretty quiet, but he also didn't really try to converse with people ever. Meanwhile, this nephew of his seemed to like conversing with others. He immediately started "talking" to her dad, and then went to Lola. But he didn't respond with words. Did he just like being with others? Soon he went down the hole.

This was going to be interesting.

-

He had been there for a few days, and they had already become... Close to friends. Mining took a long time, so it was natural he needed to sleep somewhere. But they didn't have a house for him.

Joe had liked to sleep in the mines. Rusty hated it with his entire being and the question about it had made him look like he swallowed something poisonous.

Dorothy offered to share with him, she didn't mind. It turns out Rusty is very modest. Too modest. He kept saying no to everyone offering because he didn't want to bother them, and then when asked said the ground. When asked if he likes sleeping on the ground he didn't answer, but it was obvious it was a hard no. Dorothy then convinced him it wouldn't bother her and he finally agreed after a total of thirty minutes of convincing.

He was different than anyone she'd ever met, and they got along super well. It was a nice change.

-

"Where do you come from, anyhow?" She asked hesitantly. He had never said where he had come from, she was curious. He was mysterious in general.

All he did was point South.

"... Care to elaborate?" She was confused like no tomorrow, there wasn't any towns that way that she knew of, at least any with steambots in them. Rusty simply shook his head. He signed some words.

"Oh. I've always lived here. I, uh, never left. Mostly just me and my daddy. The only one in my family who's ever left was..." She went silent, and her face plates shifted to a more sad expression, then sighed, "She never came back. We don't know where she is and... I don't remember her. Too young." She felt someone's hand on her back.

-

They got along really well now. She was always excited to see him come up from the mines. When he needed to take a break they'd hang out. It'd been awhile now, and they've become good friends. He'd breached old world, and told her about what he'd found, using signing of course. It was rare he talked, to the point it was hard to remember his voice.

Suddenly, in the distance he popped out of a pneumatic tube. One that she had no idea it even ever worked.

He was covered in frost.

Frost?! That made no sense! What was happening? The closer he got, she also noticed burn marks. Ones that looked straight ahead, not anything close to what magma would cause. The moment he walked up to her, she grabbed his hand and edged her thumb onto some frost, wiping it off gently. She immediately also expressed her concern.

Rusty was calm.

-

"What's the rest of your family like?" She asked in a soft tone. To be honest, she was stressed. The whole "Vectron" thing was scary. How Rusty acted so calm about it, she had no idea. Then again, he didn't like to show to much emotion, either. Rusty looked at her but didn't say anything.

"I just... Well, you had to travel far to get here. And leaving so much behind to go here..."

"_Unfair_." Rusty's words made Dorothy freeze.

"Huh?"

"That's how they were." The air suddenly felt bitter. She understood what he was saying, and wasn't going to push it.

"Sorry." She looked to Rusty, who simply signed the words, "don't worry."

-

He was finally going to finally find out what was behind that weird entrance. He looked so different now, yet the same. When she wished him luck, it felt like saying goodbye. Forever. But that wasn't true, she knew it. It was just an entrance.

And he'd come back.

They were friends after all.


End file.
